When Solak ranked the Arizona Cardinals running backs as the most improved unit in the entire NFL this offseason, the placement felt right once I dug into the numbers behind last year’s disaster. Five different backs touched the ball at least 40 times for Arizona in 2025. That kind of committee chaos usually signals injuries or poor planning, and both were true here. James Conner and Trey Benson missed extended time with leg issues, forcing Michael Carter, Bam Knight, and Emari Demercado into heavy roles they were not built to handle.
Carter and Knight ranked among the six worst rushers by yards over expectation. Carter posted minus 0.8 yards per carry relative to expected, Knight sat at minus 0.7. Demercado posted the league’s highest rushing yards over expectation per carry at plus 2.5 on a tiny sample of explosive draws, yet he still finished with one of the worst EPA per carry marks because one of those runs ended in a fumble at the one-yard line. The data painted a backfield that could not sustain drives or protect the ball.
The returns of Conner and Benson provide some stability, but both carry injury histories that limited their 2025 production. Conner signed back on an adjusted deal after a serious foot and ankle injury, while Benson has now dealt with two leg problems in two seasons. That left the Cardinals needing a reliable lead back who could handle early-down work without the volatility.
Tyler Allgeier arrived from Atlanta on a modest $6 million per year deal. He had already proven he could handle 1,000-yard volume before Bijan Robinson arrived, and his between-the-tackles style fits exactly what Arizona lacked. Then the Cardinals used the third overall pick on Jeremiyah Love. Love brings the quick-twitch speed and tackle-breaking ability that pairs with Allgeier’s power, plus the third-down receiving skills Allgeier has never shown. The combination creates a two-headed attack that can stay on the field in any situation.
I keep coming back to the net gain here. Most teams add one piece and call it improvement. Arizona replaced two of the league’s least efficient rushers with a proven veteran and a high-draft capital rookie who projects as the lead option. The fit inside the offensive scheme looks clean: Love can take the perimeter and passing-down work while Allgeier grinds between the tackles on early downs. That split reduces the wear on both and gives the play-caller options that simply did not exist in 2025.
The rest of Solak’s list covers several other clear upgrades, but the Cardinals’ situation stands out because the baseline was so low. Cincinnati’s offensive line added two starters who posted positive pass-blocking grades in prior stops. Cleveland’s secondary replaced multiple high-target players with younger corners who fit the zone-match principles the new coordinator wants to run. Las Vegas and the Chargers both addressed edge depth with players who posted double-digit pressures in 2025. The Rams and Giants each added interior defensive linemen who graded in the top 20 at their position by pressure rate. Tennessee and Washington rounded out the list with linebacker and tight-end additions that fix specific route and coverage holes.
What ties these groups together is measurable net improvement rather than just flashy names. Solak correctly filtered out units that were already strong, such as Tampa Bay’s new linebacker pairing. Those additions filled a hole created by retirement, but the prior standard was high enough that the leap looks smaller on paper.
For the Cardinals, the running back fix changes more than just the ground game. A stable backfield lets the quarterback operate from cleaner play-action looks and reduces the frequency of obvious passing downs. Last season’s negative rushing efficiency forced predictable situations that defenses exploited. If Love and Allgeier deliver even average efficiency, the Cardinals’ offense gains hidden yards that compound across a 17-game schedule.
I watched similar transformations with other teams in recent years. The 2023 Falcons turned their run game around once they paired a power back with a change-of-pace option, and the efficiency jump showed up immediately in EPA per play. Arizona’s version adds higher draft capital at the top of the depth chart, which usually correlates with larger snap shares and better long-term outcomes.
The risk remains injury. Both Conner and Benson have missed time, and even Love will face the typical rookie adjustment. Yet the depth now includes four backs who have shown competence in at least one role, compared with last year’s reliance on three players who ranked near the bottom in key metrics. That cushion matters when the schedule turns physical in November and December.
Solak’s list also highlights how teams with lower baselines can post the largest relative gains. The Cardinals were not competing for a wild-card spot last season partly because the run game could not sustain drives. Fixing that single unit addresses the clearest schematic hole without requiring a full roster overhaul. Other teams on the list made similar targeted repairs, but Arizona’s swing from bottom-tier efficiency to projected average or better stands as the clearest example of offseason value creation.
The market will test this group early. Opponents will stack boxes until Love proves he can beat them to the edge. If the early-down work stays efficient, the Cardinals can keep defenses honest and open intermediate windows for the passing game. That sequence is how the best backfields create ripple effects across an offense.
I expect this unit to rank among the top 15 in rushing EPA by midseason if the two lead backs split touches close to 55-45. Anything better than that projects as a top-10 group and a legitimate driver of wins. The offseason work is complete, but the real test begins in September when the efficiency numbers start accumulating again.
